Experts of the Committee against Torture Welcome Albania’s Participation in Core Human Rights Treaties, Ask about the High Rate of Pre-Trial Detention and Reported Patterns of Torture in Detention Centres
The Committee against Torture today concluded its consideration of the third periodic report of Albania under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, with Committee Experts welcoming the State’s participation in the core universal human rights treaties, and raising questions about the high rate of pre-trial detention and reported patterns of torture in places of deprivation of liberty.
Bakhtiyar Tuzmukhamedov, Country Rapporteur and Committee Expert, said Albania had a remarkable record of participation in all but one of the core universal human rights treaties and multiple optional protocols.
Naoko Maeda, Country Rapporteur and Committee Expert, said Albania had one of the highest prison populations in Europe, with an alarming 57 per cent of detainees in pre-trial detention. What measures were in place to reduce the use of pre-trial detention and promote alternatives, including non-custodial measures?
Ms. Maeda also expressed concern about reports of patterns of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in police custody prisons, detention centres, and psychiatric institutions, and reports of a lack of accountability for these crimes. How were these issues being addressed?
Introducing the report, Vasilika Hysi, Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations Office at Geneva and head of the delegation, said over the past decade, Albania had undertaken a comprehensive reform agenda to strengthen its democratic institutions and consolidate respect for human rights. It had taken consistent steps to prevent and eliminate any form of torture or ill-treatment.
Regarding pre-trial detention, the delegation said that the Ministry of Justice had taken concrete steps to reduce the number of penalties involving imprisonment and had prepared a guide for assessing whether pre-trial detention should be applied, which sought to decrease the number of people in pre-trial detention. Many pre-trial detention detainees had recently been released.
On efforts to prevent torture, the delegation said Albanian State police were instructed on the absolute prohibition of torture, and the police administration supported the independent investigation of allegations of torture. Periodic checks of police facilities were carried out to detect equipment that could potentially be used to carry out torture. There was no evidence of cases of torture carried out by the police between 2021 and 2025.
In closing remarks, Claude Heller, Committee Chair, thanked the delegation for its constructive participation in the dialogue and for its precise answers to the Committee’s questions. The Committee was interested in engaging in ongoing dialogue with the State party to ensure the usefulness of its recommendations.
In her concluding remarks, Ms. Hysi said that Albania was committed to the full implementation of the Convention. The Committee’s recommendations were an essential source of guidance and encouragement as the State party worked to strengthen its legal and institutional framework.
The delegation of Albania consisted of representatives from the Ministry of Justice; Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Health and Social Affairs; Ministry of the Interior; Office of the Attorney General; Directorate General of Prisons; General Directorate of the State Police; Institute for Statistics; and the Permanent Mission of Albania to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee will issue concluding observations on the report of Albania at the end of its eighty-third session on 28 November. Those, and other documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, will be available on the session’s webpage. Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, and webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public on Monday, 24 November at 4p.m. to hear reports on follow-up to concluding observations, individual communications and reprisals.
Report
The Committee has before it the third periodic report of Albania (CAT/C/ALB/3).
Presentation of Report
VASILIKA HYSI, Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations Office at Geneva and head of the delegation, said that, over the past decade, Albania had undertaken a comprehensive reform agenda to strengthen its democratic institutions and consolidate respect for human rights. It had taken consistent and concrete steps to prevent and eliminate any form of torture or ill-treatment. In the last five years, several laws had been adopted and amended, bringing the State’s legal system closer to international and European standards.
Albania continued to strengthen interinstitutional cooperation to ensure that every allegation of ill-treatment was promptly, independently and effectively investigated. The State was also enhancing the mandate of the People’s Advocate and the national preventive mechanism, providing human and financial resources and working to better implement their recommendations. Between 2020 and 2024, the budget of the People’s Advocate increased by 64 per cent and staff increased by 17 per cent. Under the amended Constitution, the People’s Advocate could initiate Constitutional Court proceedings for human rights violations and act as an amicus curia. The national preventive mechanism had played a vital role in monitoring places of deprivation of liberty and identifying challenges; it had issued recommendations that had led to tangible improvements in detention conditions and police commissariats. All recommendations sent by the People’s Advocate to the relevant institutions had been accepted, and most had been fully or partially implemented. No allegations of torture had been made by prisoners over the reporting period
The national strategy for gender equality 2021-2030 included the strategic goal of the reduction of all forms of gender-based violence and domestic violence. Albania had established a national registry of convicted sex criminals and the People’s Advocate had also established the Observatory of Femicide. Crisis management centres for sexual violence offered emergency, one-stop, 24/7 and short-term services for survivors of sexual violence and their family members.
A draft Criminal Code was undergoing a public consultation process. The recommendations of international and regional bodies, including regarding the definition of rape, had been taken into consideration in this draft. A new law on gender equality, also fully in line with international and European Union standards, had been adopted by parliament recently.
The fight against trafficking in human beings remained a national priority for Albania. The national anti-trafficking strategy 2024-2030 reinforced this commitment, focusing on prevention, effective prosecution, and sustainable reintegration for survivors. The State had strengthened the national referral mechanism, enhanced investigative capacities, and provided specialised training to prosecutors and police officers. State financing ensured the provision of services and the fulfilment of the needs of victims in shelters. In March 2025, the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Economy, Culture and Innovation signed a memorandum of cooperation on procedures for identifying cases of forced labour and trafficking.
The national strategy for migration 2024-2030 and its action plan 2024–2026 aimed to strengthen the international protection system to guarantee the rights of asylum seekers and refugees. Albania’s reception centres for asylum seekers and irregular migrants had been upgraded to meet international standards. In partnership with United Nations agencies and other stakeholders, Albania implemented programmes that promoted social inclusion, protection from discrimination, and access to essential services for migrants and asylum seekers. Albania had set standards for the return and reintegration of unaccompanied minors, respecting both the principle of non-refoulement and the best interests of the child.
Albania continued to improve the conditions in penitentiary institutions and police commissariats and ensure humane treatment for all persons deprived of liberty. New facilities had been constructed, healthcare services had been strengthened, and rehabilitation programmes had been expanded. A roadmap for the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners had been approved in 2024. Overcrowding of prisons had been eliminated through measures such as the opening of a new prison in Pojska, amnesty decisions, and the distribution of prisoners within the system.
The protection of children from all forms of abuse, and access to justice for minors in conflict with the law and victims of crime remained a priority for Albania. The Code of Criminal Justice for Children adopted in 2017 contained special provisions on rules relating to investigation, prosecution, trial and rehabilitation for children in conflict with the law, as well as child victims and witnesses of crimes. The law on the rights and protection of the child established an integrated protection system, ensuring coordination among institutions at all levels. The national agenda for children’s rights 2021-2026 foresaw measures for comprehensive services for children.
Progress had been made regarding juvenile justice through training programmes and manuals for prosecutors, judicial police officers and coordinators. The arrest of minors in conflict with the law was assessed as a measure of last resort, and alternative measures were applied to many minor offenders. In 2024, only 36 per cent of minor offenders were sent to court. The Crime Prevention Centre for Minors and Youth was established in 2019. The cross-sector justice for children strategy 2022–2026 and its action plan, approved in 2022, outlined Albania's commitment to strengthening the juvenile justice system.
Albania had made significant progress in strengthening human resource capacities. Obligatory training was provided for police, prosecutors, judges, prison staff, legal aid providers, medical staff and other professionals on various articles of the Convention, its Optional Protocol, and other international and regional treaties.
In combatting terrorism and violent extremism, Albania remained firmly committed to maintaining a balance between national security and the protection of fundamental rights. Repatriation operations of Albanian citizens from conflict zones had been conducted in a humane and coordinated manner, accompanied by comprehensive rehabilitation and reintegration measures.
Albania remained committed to advancing reforms, ensuring full alignment with international human rights standards, and addressing the issues it faced with transparency and determination, always guided by the Constitution, international standards and the values of the United Nations.
Questions by Committee Experts
BAKHTIYAR TUZMUKHAMEDOV, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said that the State party’s report did not reflect inputs from civil society, including from representatives of minority groups such as the Roma. The report offered a meticulous overview of legislative and executive measures implemented by the State party. However, it had been submitted four years ago, and the Committee required updated information.
Were international agreements such as the Convention superior to domestic legislation? Were there examples where the Convention had been given precedence over domestic legislation? Was the Convention self-executing, and were there examples of this? The Constitution stated that no one could be charged for acts not declared illegal at the time of the offence. Did this rule on retroactivity apply to acts prohibited under the Convention? The Constitution seemed to allow discrimination when there was a “reasonable and justified explanation”. How was this rule applied in practice?
Some provisions on torture in the Criminal Code were seemingly not in line with the Convention, particularly provisions on complicity regarding acts of torture. The Criminal Code also did not prohibit the use of confessions obtained through torture, and the penalty it prescribed for torture was milder than that prescribed by the Convention. Further, the Code provided for a statute of limitations for the crime of torture of between 10 and 20 years. Would the State party bring the Code in line with the Convention? Were penalties for torture offences included in other legislation?
Had the High Court or other courts made references to the Convention or other human rights treaties in their rulings? Were the opinions expressed by the Committee and other treaty bodies considered as norms by the State?
Albania had a remarkable record of participation in all but one of the core universal human rights treaties and multiple optional protocols. Why had Albania not made a declaration under articles 21, 22 and 28, paragraph one of the Convention, or ratified the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities?
The European Court of Human Rights had decided on six cases against Albania that included allegations of torture, finding violations in five. What impact had the Court’s decisions had on Albania’s legal system?
Regarding the 2023 protocol agreed between Albania and Italy regarding the transfer of migrants to Albania, the Constitutional Court had found that the facilities that held these migrants were under the constrained jurisdiction of Albania. How did the State party ensure compliance with the Convention at these facilities?
NAOKO MAEDA, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said that the Committee noted Albania’s achievements and efforts to implement the Convention. The People’s Advocate had been accredited with “A” status under the Paris Principles. It functioned as the national preventive mechanism. Did the People’s Advocate have the right to enter places of deprivation of liberty, including migrant reception centres, at any time and without prior authorisation? How many monitoring visits had it made during the reporting period? Did the national preventive mechanism have the mandate to comment on legislation related to the Convention? Had the head of the national preventive mechanism been appointed? What measures were in place to raise awareness of the national preventive mechanism?
State police agents were required by law to immediately inform detainees of their rights, including in writing. However, many detainees had complained that they had not been provided with a written copy of the bill of rights statement. There were also reports of transfers of detainees not being recorded. How was the State party addressing these issues?
Reports indicated that Albanian prisons had poor infrastructure and a lack of health care and security. What measures had the State party taken to improve prison infrastructure to reduce overcrowding, and to ensure detainees’ access to adequate health care, legal counsel and family visits? Albania had one of the highest prison populations in Europe, with an alarming 57 per cent of detainees in pre-trial detention. Pre-trial detention was reportedly largely used for misdemeanours. What measures were in place to reduce the use of pre-trial detention and promote alternatives, including non-custodial measures?
Could the delegation provide information on investigations into deaths in custody and penalties handed down when officials were found to be responsible? The Committee was concerned by reports of patterns of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in police custody prisons, detention centres, and psychiatric institutions. There were also reports of a lack of accountability for these crimes and excessive use of force by law enforcement officials at demonstrations. How were these issues being addressed? Journalists and human rights defenders were reportedly often the target of intimidation, harassment and threats of violence by Government officials. How many independent investigations had been carried out into such acts and what were their results?
Could the State party provide detailed information on training on the Convention and the Istanbul Protocol for judicial officials, forensic doctors and medical officials who were responsible for detecting evidence of torture? Had the State party established an independent and effective mechanism for investigating complaints of torture and the use of force by law enforcement officers? Did it prevent institutional relationships between investigators and suspected perpetrators of acts of torture? How many officials had been investigated for acts of torture over the reporting period and what penalties were issued to perpetrators?
The Committee welcomed the amendment to the Criminal Procedural Code aiming to improve the rights of victims of crimes. What compensation had been provided to victims over the reporting period, including victims of excessive force? The Committee further welcomed the law creating the special fund for crime prevention. How many victims of organised crime and trafficking had received compensation through the special fund over the last five years?
Pre-trial detention remained the main reason for the deprivation of liberty of children in conflict with the law, representing some 74 per cent of cases of detention of children. How was the State party working to develop community-based programmes for children in conflict with the law to ensure access to education and reintegration into society. How was it implementing the Beijing Rules?
The Committee welcomed that the State party had made legal and institutional improvements regarding the protection of women from domestic violence. It was concerned, however, that victims faced numerous obstacles in filing complaints and accessing legal aid. How did the State party ensure that alleged perpetrators of domestic violence were effectively investigated and that victims were provided with adequate support and compensation? How was the State party working to prevent domestic violence and train public officials on the issue?
What measures were in place to improve the resources and staffing of immigration detention centres? There were reports of indefinite detention of asylum seekers. Three Iraqi students had reportedly been detained for more than two years. Could the delegation provide information on their situation? A significant number of irregular migrants regularly entered Albania via Greece, and there were reports that border guards had denied migrants’ entry and engaged in arbitrary pushbacks. How was the State party strengthening its asylum and migration system in line with international and European Union standards? Unaccompanied minors and other vulnerable groups were not legally protected from detention. How many unaccompanied minors had reached Albania and applied for international protection, and how many had been provided with legal support?
The Committee welcomed the State party’s measures to combat trafficking in persons, including through its national strategy on migration, national action plan against trafficking in persons, and related amendments to the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedural Code. However, the State party remained a country of origin, transit and destination for trafficking in persons. What investigations had been conducted into the disappearance of 502 Roma children from children’s institutions between 1998 and 2002? How was the State party ensuring access to asylum application procedures that had suspensive effect on expulsions?
Could the State party provide information on measures to prohibit and prevent the hospitalisation and forced medical treatment of persons with psychosocial disabilities? Were there complaint mechanisms in psychiatric institutions? What remedies were provided for persons improperly subjected to forced medication? What efforts had been made to bring facilities in psychiatric institutions in line with international standards?
Others Committee Experts asked about plans to enter into another agreement with Italy on the transfer of migrants, and the responsibility of both States regarding the abuse of transferred migrants; measures to increase penalties for trafficking crimes; efforts to strengthen birth registration, particularly for Roma, Egyptian and other minority groups, and prevent statelessness; measures to prevent child labour in agricultural and domestic sectors and alleviate youth poverty; legal measures to eliminate exceptions allowing for marriage of children under 18 and prohibit forced marriage; and plans to introduce a blanket ban on non-therapeutic and non-consensual surgeries on intersex persons, especially children.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said that recently, cases of violence between prisoners had been reduced and the State had implemented measures to protect vulnerable groups. There were 95 cases of violence in prisons between 2020 and 2025 involving 163 persons, of which 28 were prison staff. The Ombudsman and many domestic and international organizations conducted regular inspections of prisons. There was a phone line that prisoners could use to make complaints. The Ombudsman had made 181 recommendations regarding prisons in 2024, of which 63 per cent had been fully implemented. The recommendations of the People’s Advocate had been incorporated in internal regulations.
Training of prison health staff was organised by the General Directorate of Prisons. Training addressed the Istanbul Protocol, the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and the European Convention of Human Rights. There were 12 full-time trainers, and from 2021 to 2025, over 9,000 staff had been trained.
Persons in pre-trial detention accounted for between 56 and 60 per cent of the prison population and the average length of stay in pre-trial detention was 253 days. The Ministry of Justice had taken concrete steps to reduce the number of penalties involving imprisonment and had prepared a guidance document on pre-trial detention. Many pre-trial detention detainees had recently been released.
A cooperation agreement had been signed between the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Health regarding the treatment of detainees with mental health disorders. In 2025, 123 forensic patients had been released from prisons.
Measures had been implemented to improve prison facilities. Nine facilities had been waterproofed and some institutions had been closed due to lack of compliance with facility standards.
Prison doctors conducted medical examinations upon reception of prisoners. In cases where signs of violence were detected, the competent authorities were informed immediately. Courts had awarded compensation to convicts in three cases between 2021 and 2025 related to negligence in medical treatment or discrimination.
The number of imprisoned juveniles had decreased from 407 in 2010 to 20 in 2025. The average number of days spent by minors in pre-trial detention in 2025 was 189. Officials were trained on the treatment of juveniles in detention.
Prosecutors were authorised to investigate suspected cases of violence in prisons ex officio. A tracking mechanism had been established for cases of torture and ill-treatment. Over the reporting period, two cases had been registered, before being dismissed after investigation. The activities of the prosecution were inspected by the High Inspector of Justice after complaints by the public.
Prosecutors were instructed in effective investigation of offences involving sexual and gender-based violence, trafficking in persons, and offences against minors. Five circulars had been issued to prosecutors related to the implementation of the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and the recommendations of the Committee. Over the reporting period, 741 criminal proceedings had been registered for sexual violence, which led to 293 convictions. Victims were referred to emergency medical and social services. Awareness raising materials were distributed to the public to facilitate reporting of trafficking. Some 57 criminal proceedings related to trafficking had been registered over the reporting period.
Prosecutors addressed cases of violence against journalists on a priority basis and had received training on handling such cases. There were currently seven cases under investigation and four cases had been sent to trial.
Albanian State police were fully committed to respecting human rights. Personnel were instructed on the absolute prohibition of torture, and the police administration supported the independent investigation of allegations of torture. Periodic checks of police facilities were carried out to detect equipment that could potentially be used to carry out torture. There was no evidence of cases of torture carried out by the police between 2021 and 2025.
People were informed of their rights both verbally and in writing from the moment of arrest. If this was not done, judges could declare that detentions were not valid. The bill of rights had been translated into nine languages. In cases where persons could not afford a lawyer, they were appointed one, and interpreters were also provided when needed.
The law on domestic violence included measures promoting the identification of cases and reporting them, as well as the rehabilitation of victims and perpetrators. The national agenda on child rights addressed the provision of services for children at risk of violence and neglect. Professionals were trained regularly on providing services to minors.
The State party had implemented measures to improve the treatment of persons with psychosocial disabilities and persons subject to mandatory treatment, in line with international standards. Support for psychiatric forensic patients included access to external public health services as required. To enhance the treatment of these patients, the State party had developed a protocol on the use of injectable medicines and individual treatment plans. A special medical institution with 35 beds was being established to accommodate women forensic patients currently held in the Tirana Prison Hospital.
Measures were in place to prevent early marriages. Child protection units in municipalities were raising awareness on preventing early marriages, and working with various stakeholders to identify and respond to breaches of children’s rights.
State funds had been allocated to the national shelter for victims of trafficking, and training and guidance had been provided to the anti-trafficking investigation unit. An inter-institutional group had been established to draft a national anti-trafficking strategy and action plan.
In recent years, the State party had strengthened procedures in its Immigration Centre. It was currently finalising a national contingency plan on migration flows, which included measures for responding to sudden increases in migration flows and measures to further strengthen the capacity of border officials. Training on responding to unaccompanied minors was provided to officials. Albania was establishing a centre for accommodating unaccompanied minors, which was expected to be opened in 2026. There were 80 unaccompanied minors received by the State in 2024 and 25 in the first half of 2025.
Between 2021 and 2025, there had been fluctuations in applications for international protection. There were 106 applications in 2025. Refugee status had been granted to seven persons in 2025. Some applicants had been granted complementary protection.
The European Union Pact on Migration would determine how centres that received migrants transferred from Italy were treated. Operational responsibility of these centres lay with Italy, which had financed the project.
Penitentiary institutions had dedicated spaces for family meetings and prisoners were able to receive consultations with psychologists. There had been an increase in family meetings in recent years. Gender sensitive programmes were implemented in prisons to meet the needs of women prisoners.
Albania did not have a formal legal reservation to the Convention. However, it had made declarations regarding its application of specific articles related to the conditions of extradition and reciprocity. Albania did not allow the extradition of persons who had committed offences against the interests of Albanian nationals unless agreed with the interested party. If persons were serving sentences for other offences, they could be permitted to serve their full sentence in the requesting country in the event of an extradition.
Albania had established an office that provided immediate protection, safe accommodation, and child-sensitive services for unaccompanied minors. Albania recently adopted amendments to align national migration legislation with relevant European Union directives. These aimed to support access to documentation for foreign nationals and strengthen the identification of migrants, including unaccompanied minors. The number of unaccompanied minors in Albania had fluctuated over the years. There had been 37 in 2023, 18 in 2024, and 34 in the first half of 2025.
Under the protocol agreement with Italy, Albania had established an immigration centre for migrants who fell under the jurisdiction of Italy. Albania maintained its competencies in securing the external perimeter of the centre and ensured safe movement into and outside of the centre, but Italy had primary responsibility for ensuring the safety of migrants inside the centre.
Albania had taken comprehensive measures to strengthen its immigration system in line with international standards. It was working to support migrants’ access to health, education and information; and was enhancing the national return and reintegration systems. In 2022, 14 asylum seekers were accommodated outside reception centres; there were 12 in 2023, 21 in 2024, and five had thus far been accommodated outside reception centres in 2025.
Training had been provided for law enforcement and judicial officials on the national action plan on combatting trafficking in persons. Standard operating procedures for the protection of victims of trafficking and labour exploitation were being finalised. Civil society organizations organised awareness raising campaigns on forms of trafficking and ways of preventing the practice, as well as on early and forced marriages. Albania had included civil society in the process of drafting the national anti-trafficking strategy. Victims of trafficking could receive financial compensation through court decisions that ordered perpetrators to pay damages.
Albania had re-enforced border procedures to guarantee access to asylum. Continuous training was provided to border officials to prevent unlawful pushbacks. Every person arriving at the border had the right to request asylum. Domestic and international mechanisms were in place to ensure accountability in asylum processing. Frontex had established a robust rights framework, having appointed fundamental rights monitors who conducted on-the-spot visits and examinations of efforts to uphold fundamental rights. The State could suspend border operations when serious violations of human rights were detected.
Albania respected the 12-month legal limit for administrative detention. Two Iraqi citizens subject to a deportation order had been detained in the closed migrant centre under a public security order, but for less than two years.
The State party had evaluated the implementation of the previous national action plan on persons with disabilities and was drafting the next iteration of the plan. The national referral mechanism cooperated with various State agencies to manage cases of violence against persons with disabilities. Various crisis management centres provided support services for victims, including legal aid and psychosocial support.
Wide awareness raising campaigns were being conducted on the issues of gender-based violence and domestic violence. Specialised services were provided at regional and municipal levels to children in need, including legal aid. There was also a phone line set up that children could use to report domestic violence. The Ministry of Health had supported local Governments to provide support services for victims of violence.
The Constitutional Court directly referred to the Convention in its decisions. International agreements were directly implemented unless they were not self-executable, in which case they needed to be incorporated in domestic legislation, which was the case for the Convention. In cases of conflict between domestic and international legislation, international legislation prevailed over domestic legislation. The Constitutional Court and the High Court had referenced the Convention in relevant rulings, including rulings on acts of torture and sexual violence, and a ruling preventing the expulsion of a migrant to China.
All judgements of the European Court of Human Rights were directly implemented and had supra-legal status in Albania. The State party was currently implementing four of these judgments and had prepared plans of action towards this aim. In one case, the Court had found violations related to inadequate medical treatment in a prison hospital. The prison system was working to implement this decision. Damages had been paid by the Government to the complainant in this case. Recently, the State party had also made several amendments to the Criminal Procedural Code to implement the judgements of the Court.
The Convention was not self-executing in its entirety. It required the adoption of specific measures to ensure its effective implementation. To this aim, Albania had made amendments to the Criminal Code governing international legal cooperation.
There was no political influence over prison staff or in the process of drafting legislation on prisons. The general directorate on prisons had 4,500 employees working in 21 detention centres. Staff numbers had not been reduced recently. A strategic plan for the development of prisons to 2030 had been approved, as had budgeting for activities in 2025. The prison system development plan was also approved in 2024 to address prison overcrowding. This plan aimed to improve prison infrastructure and promote the reintegration of prisoners into society. Prison food met State nutritional standards and was adapted according to prisoners’ dietary requirements. Prison cells had adequate heating and facilities.
The figure of 74 per cent of juvenile detainees being in pre-trial detention reflected the situation 15 years ago. The establishment of the probation service in 2009 and the adoption of the Juvenile Criminal Justice Code had led to the reduction of juveniles in detention from more than 200 in 2010 to 20 in 2025.
State legislation on the use of force prescribed that force should not be used against prisoners except in cases where it was necessary to prevent an escape or in life-threatening situations.
From 2021 to 2025, 98 minors had been placed under the supervision of the Reintegration Centre. Sixty of these minors had been reintegrated, accessing education and vocational training. In the last year, three of these young people were supported to start up their own businesses. The Crime Prevention Centre for Juveniles and Youth, established in 2021, conducted legal education in schools and had provided legal and rehabilitation support for 19 minors in conflict with the law between 2021 and 2025.
The Directorate of Free Legal Aid ensured equal access to justice for individuals unable to secure legal representation independently. It had provided aid to victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, and trafficking in persons.
The Parliamentary Commission on Human Rights carried out monitoring visits to prisons and investigated complaints from prisoners submitted through mailboxes or telephone lines. It issued recommendations to the prosecution service to investigate alleged violations and restore violated rights. The Council of Europe’s Committee on the Prevention of Torture had also carried out monitoring visits to prisons over the reporting period, finding no violations of prisoners’ rights.
Article 18 of the Constitution protected individuals from discrimination and prejudicial treatment, while guaranteeing equality before the law and allowing for positive discrimination with a reasonable objective. Article 86 of the Constitution prohibited all forms of discrimination that led to acts of torture and ill-treatment, so article 18 could not be used to justify torture. The Criminal Code was the only domestic law that contained punishments for the crime of torture.
The General Directorate of Prisons promoted regular visits to detention centres by psychiatrists and transfers to mental health centres for detainees with mental health problems. A working group had been established to inspect the work of medical staff in hospitals. The General Directorate of Prisons had designed special training modules for mental health staff, which addressed the use of restrictive measures.
The national action plan on minorities included an objective for promoting civil registration. Albania was cooperating to increase the number of minorities registered in the State. Legislation on the civil service had been improved in 2024 to make the registration process more efficient.
Questions by Committee Experts
NAOKO MAEDA, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said that the Committee had recommended in its review in 2012 that the State party strengthen data collection. The delegation had demonstrated that it had implemented this recommendation in an effective manner. Albania’s national preventive mechanism was mandated to receive complaints from prisoners, while the Optional Protocol called for the national human rights institution to carry out this function. Were there plans to change this mandate?
The percentage of detainees in pre-trial detention remained high. Why was this? Were there cases in which victims of torture had been granted compensation? State legislation prohibited the use of evidence obtained through torture. Were there cases in which evidence had been rejected because it had been obtained through torture? The State party had taken numerous steps to provide redress to victims of historic human rights violations committed between 1944 and 1991. What measures had the State party taken to search for victims of these violations and prevent impunity for perpetrators?
How did the State party encourage civil society to participate in the drafting of the periodic report and the implementation of the Committee’s recommendations?
BAKHTIYAR TUZMUKHAMEDOV, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said Albania accepted some treaty bodies’ individual and inter-State communications procedures but not others, including those of the Convention against Torture. It had accepted the Committee’s mandate to conduct independent inquiries but had not accepted the same mandate for some other treaty bodies. Why was this?
How would Albania ensure compliance with the Convention in the migration centre under the jurisdiction of Italy on Albanian territory? Why did the Constitutional Court decide that the migration protocol with Italy was constitutional?
How many extradition treaties did Albania have and how many extradition requests had it received and issued? Was the risk of torture considered when assessing extradition requests?
Other Committee Experts asked about the fate of migrants held in the migration centre under Italy’s jurisdiction who were found not to be eligible for asylum; whether Albania’s national preventive mechanism would be able to conduct visits to the migration centre; and whether the agreement with Italy had been made public.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said there were 348 convicted persons who had been extradited from Albania and 326 persons who were extradited from foreign countries to Albania between 2021 and 2025. Albania had extradition agreements with Türkiye, North Macedonia, Kosovo, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain. There had been no complaints of discrimination against persons extradited from Albania. One extradition had been postponed due to the health issues of the individual concerned.
The Constitutional Court had found that the protocol between Albania and Italy did not violate human rights or protection standards and was compatible with the Constitution. The protocol had been published online. The migrants held in the migration centre were under the jurisdiction of Italy and could be called back to Italy at any time. The Italian monitoring authority was competent to assess complaints from migrants in this centre. No complaints had been lodged thus far.
Albania had worked to harmonise its legislation with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The State was committed to ratifying the Optional Protocol to this Convention by 2027.
The national preventive mechanism did not handle individual complaints from persons deprived of liberty but rather addressed obvious cases of violations of detainees’ rights. The mechanism produced regular reports to raise awareness of its activities.
The new People’s Advocate had not been elected yet. The new parliament, which had been formed in September 2025, was preparing for the election. The parliament followed up on the recommendations of the People’s Advocate, international monitoring bodies, and civil society. It had established a committee composed of civil society organizations and media representatives that engaged in hearings with State institutions. The Committee’s report would be disseminated to all stakeholders and officials. Civil society was monitoring the implementation of the recommendations of human rights treaty bodies.
State courts had awarded compensation to one former detainee injured by another convict in 2012, a former detainee for negligent treatment in 2017, and a former detainee subjected to compulsory treatment in 2023. There were four cases in which compensation had been awarded following suicides of detainees.
The General Prosecutor issued recommendations on alternative measures to imprisonment and was carrying out a study to identify measures to improve sentencing practices. The Ministry of Justice had prepared a guide for assessing whether pre-trial detention should be applied, which sought to decrease the number of people in pre-trial detention.
The Criminal Procedural Code stipulated that evidence obtained through torture was not permissible.
Albania regularly developed national action plans and monitored progress on implementing the recommendations of the Council of Europe’s Committee on the Prevention of Torture. Thanks to these efforts, the State party had made progress in creating a system that encouraged the rehabilitation of forensic patients. Many forensic patients were released each year.
Concluding Remarks
CLAUDE HELLER, Committee Chair, thanked the delegation for its constructive participation in the dialogue and for its precise answers to the Committee’s questions. Based on the dialogue, the Committee would produce concluding observations, which would include recommendations that could feasibly be implemented within a year. The Committee was interested in following up on its recommendations and engaging in ongoing dialogue with States parties to ensure that its recommendations were useful for the State party
VASILIKA HYSI, Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations Office at Geneva and head of the delegation, said Albania was committed to the full implementation of the Convention. The dialogue had helped the State party to learn, grow and improve. The Committee’s recommendations were an essential source of guidance and encouragement as the State party worked to strengthen its legal and institutional framework. Albania would continue to cooperate closely with the Committee and all international partners. Respect for human dignity and the absolute prohibition of torture were living values of Albania’s democratic society. Ms. Hysi concluded by thanking all those who had contributed to the dialogue.
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